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Alleging that false cases are being foisted against those agitating for separate Telangana, the all-party Joint Action Committee, spearheading the agitation for a separate state, on Monday asked Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah to withdraw all such cases. “According to the statistics given by the state government, 824 cases have been booked in Telangana, 3,600 people have been put in jail whereas, only 263 cases registered in coastal Andhra (where people are opposing Telangana) and 1,527 people have been arrested. This shows their partial attitude,” senior Congress Member of Legislative Assembly R Damodar Reddy told reporters after a 90-minute meeting of JAC leaders with Rosaiah.

Urging the CM to be impartial in dealing with the agitation for separate Telangana, he demanded all illegal cases be withdrawn. The JAC also demanded that the hostels and mess in the Osmania university campus should not be closed.

“The students are agitating peacefully. Hostels and messes have been closed. Tents where the students were fasting have been removed. So we appeal to the CM not to close the hostel,” he said.

The CM spoke to the director general of police over the matter and promised to review the issue of cases on Tuesday. Seeking to allay the apprehension that anti-social elements have found their way into the university, Reddy said JAC leaders are ready to spend nights in the university campus to instill confidence.

Leaders of the Congress, Telugu Desam Party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Praja Rajyam Party and several other Telangana outfits were part of the delegation that met the CM.

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